Article taken from The Zanesville Signal, December 13, 1931
by Thomas W. Lewis
Wonderful Sight in This Section When Passenger Pigeons Migrated
While the writer was compiling his "History of Southeastern Ohio and the Muskingum Valley" he had many opportunities to measure the importance of the woods found in this section of the state by the first settlers--the importance attached to them by early county historians.
A Feature of Pioneer Life
Some evidences of the figure cut in pioneer life by the beasts and birds encountered daily by the first inhabitants of the Ohio valley and their first descendants have been used from time to time in these contributions.
For instance, we have told hos the late Dr. John T. Davis saw in his boyhood a vast number of squirrels swim the Muskingum and land on the east bank near where the Monroe street bridge spans it; and how the pioneers or southern Muskingum saw the same or another army or rodents cross a creek (Salt creek, perhaps) down there, many of which were killed by men and boys who were waiting for them on the bank.
Million of Pigeons
Another story of this type deals with birds and is from the pen of Harris, a traveler through this section early in the 19th century, who saw the demonstration wrought in Washington county by pigeons in almost unbelievable numbers.
Another source of information concerning the Ohio valley's wide creatures of pioneer times offers itself with such profusion and richness of detail that we venture to draw upon it for the remainder of this contribution. Its author is Henry T. Bannon and it deals with the birds and beasts of Scioto County, which is near enough to Muskingum to warrant belief in a practically common inheritance of wild life by the two counties.
Mr. Bannon's book "Scioto Sketches" was reviewed in Vol. XXIX, Ohio Archecological and Historical Publications, by the society's editor and secretary, C. B. Galbreath, who is an occasional Zanesville visitor and well known among a considerable number of Times-Signal readers.
Among the "Scioto Sketches" which Secretary Galbreath's review gives prominence to are threee hundred "Wild Birds" and "Wild Animals." Under the first head Mr. Bannon wrote about as follows:
The Passenger Pigeon
"The numbers in which these birds existed seem simply incredible. During their migration they would pass over in flocks miles in length and miles in width. Their numbers were so great that they darkened the sky," and it is added that they were "killed by the thousands" and sold by the wagon load." Swine were fattened on them.
Wild Animals
Under this head "Scioto Sketches" tells of many interesting conditions and incidents. The bear gets a full share of space. Here is a story illustrative of Bruin's curiosity:
"In 1798 while some women were washing clothes in the Little Scioto at the mouth of Bonser's Run five black bears swam across the Little Scioto and landed just below the women. The women neither fainted nor screamed. They simply sek a little dog on the bears's heels so fiercely and barked so sharply that soon the bears climbed trees. A hunter by name of Barney Monroe came along and killed all of them.
A Bear in a Boat
The next bear story tells how Burin secured a boat ride of undetermined length:
"George Cochran, who came to Scioto county in 1799 had a pecular experience with a black bear. He saw a bear swimming in the Little Scioto and determined to give chase though he had no rifle. Finding a canoe tied to the bank he started in it after the bear. Every time the bear started for the shore, Cochran turned him with the canoe.
"This finally exasperated the bear and the next time the bow of the canoe was upon him he turned and climbed into it. As Cochran was rather careful about the company he kept he jumped from the canoe and swam to shore. When last seen the bear was licking his fur dry as the canoe drifted slowly with the current."
Wild as a Deer
According to "Scioto Sketches" the deer was not only the last survivor among the big game of southern Ohio but members of the species were killed after the pioneer hunter had passed away. For instance: "The white-tailed deer was the last of the big game in Scioto County. They were killed in numbers as late as the seventies in the region drained by Twin Creek. Some were killed in the eighties but by this time they were quite scarce.
The last deer killed in Scioto county was killed in Turkey Creek in 189_. (The article is difficult to read--is looks like 1893). A wild deer was seen in this county in February 1897. The following from "Scioto Sketches" shows how true to the deer's nature is the saying "Wild as a Deer."
Hard to Surprise
"When much pursued by hunters deer fed only at night and very early in the morning. During the day they seek the shelter of a ravine or lie down on some high point from which the approach of an enemy may be discovered in time to enable them to flee.
It roused during the day they skulk through the brush, with head hung low and are very difficult to discern. Their sence of hearing and smelling is so acute and their efforts of concealment so successful that they are far better able to protect themselves than any other big game animal."